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Lisa Tomanelli
Director Workforce Advocacy and Support Initiative
212.614-5459
ltomanelli@cssny.org
Lisa Tomanelli oversees the development, execution, and evaluation of the Workforce Advocacy and Support Initiative (WASI), a three-year demonstration project. WASI provides intensive case management services to disconnected youth by placing highly trained case managers into four hand-picked nonprofit agencies. WASI case managers provide assistance with securing government benefits, accessing community based resources such as child care and mental health services, interview and job preparedness, and eliminating housing crises, as well as an array of financial literacy tools. These comprehensive wrap-around services are designed to assist youths achieve their goals of obtaining GEDs, completing other educational and job readiness programs, and securing and maintaining employment.
Currently, she is developing new initiatives to support WASI goals, collaborating with WASI partner programs and other stakeholders invested in New York City’s disconnected youth, and partnering with CSS’s volunteer programs to provide tutoring, mentoring, and financial literacy to the youth WASI serves.
WHY THIS WORK IS IMPORTANT TO ME: see below
MENTORS/IMPORTANT FIGURES IN LIFE/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
The people I have served over the years inspire me. They—women, single mothers, young adults, older persons—have found a way to overcome homelessness, extreme poverty, grief, illness—a range of intensely difficult experiences that I am not sure I could overcome. Their ability to not only survive but to thrive has truly been an inspiration to me. So, to answer the question, why is this work important to me, I enjoy seeing people reach their goals. I think it’s important that people have their basic needs met in order to be able to reach their goals. I want to help provide those basics, and to help provide opportunities for growth and development.
PRIOR EMPLOYMENT:
Dress for Success Worldwide, executive vice president of workforce development
Coalition for the Homeless, First Step Job Readiness Program, program director
BOOKS I WOULD RECOMMEND:
Random Family by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc: It is an incredible true-life story about the power of family and the power of community.
EDUCATION:
Workforce Leader’s Academy, Public/Private Ventures
Master of Science degree in social work, Columbia University School of Social Work
Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, SUNY Albany
PLACE OF BIRTH:
ANYTHING ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT ME:
13 years experience in workforce development